The method in question relates to the motor-operated adjustment processes, in particular the opening process and the closing process, for a flap wing of a motor vehicle. The term “flap wing” is to be understood comprehensively here. It includes tailgates, rear lids, engine hoods, doors, in particular side doors, load compartment floors, or the like, of a motor vehicle.
A known flap arrangement of a motor vehicle (DE 20 2005 020 085 U1) is provided with a flap wing, a motor vehicle lock and a control arrangement, wherein the motor vehicle lock is provided with the customary lock elements of a lock catch and a pawl. The known flap arrangement is also provided with a motor-operated flap drive with which a motor-operated opening process and a motor-operated closing process can be carried out.
When a motor-operated adjustment process is triggered on the user side it is generally the case that a predetermined flap operator control event is detected by means of the control arrangement and the flap drive is actuated as a technical control reaction to a flap operator control event. The flap operator control event is in the simplest case the user-side activation of an activation element such as a pushbutton key.
In the known method for operating a flap arrangement (“BMW operating instructions for the vehicle limousine/touring, 520i-530d”, page 42, BMW AG, Munich, 2001, order No. 01400156203) it is assumed that an upper activation element is arranged on the flap wing. In particular, an activation element is arranged on the outside of the flap, an activation element is arranged on the inside of the flap and an activation element is arranged in the passenger compartment of the vehicle in the region of the driver's seat. The motor-operated flap adjustment can therefore be triggered by a total of three operator control events which correspond to the user-side activation of the respective activation element.
The activation elements operate in the known method in a so-called “toggle operating mode”. This means that when the flap wing is located in the closed position or the open position, the activation element firstly starts an activation of an opening process or closing process. A second activation during the adjustment process then triggers the stopping of the adjustment process. A third activation of the activation element finally causes the adjustment process to be continued in the opposite adjustment direction. With continuous activation it is therefore possible to trigger a continuous reversal of direction, wherein every second flap operator control event, that is to say every second activation, triggers the stopping of the adjustment process.
With the known method it is possible to bring about the motor-operated flap adjustment with few activation elements and at the same time in a user-friendly fashion. Undesired effects arise as a result of the fact that in many cases two or more successive flap operator control events occur inadvertently. This may be the case, for example, if an opening movement process is triggered by the activation of the activation element which is arranged on the outside of the flap wing. The opening process is usually preceded by the flap wing jumping up slightly, which is due to the fact that the motor vehicle lock opens and the counterpressure of the flap seal acts in a pulselike fashion on the flap wing. This jump can lead to a situation in which the user inadvertently carries out a further undesired activation. This further activation triggers undesired stopping of the adjustment process as a result of the toggle operating mode mentioned above, and this is perceived by the user as a loss of convenience.
The invention is based on the problem of configuring and developing the known method for the operation of a flap arrangement in such a way that the convenience of use is improved.